UP polls: Amit Shah's Lucknow conference shows BJP losing, says Mayawati

Lucknow, (Uttar Pradesh) [India] Feb. 12 (ANI): Taking a jibe at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, on Sunday, said that the saffron party's condition is degrading gradually and claimed that her party would form the government in Uttar Pradesh. "In the first phase of the voting, BJP's condition seems worse. In the Lucknow press conference, Amit Shah's pale face reflected that. I would say that the BSP would form government with full majority in Uttar Pradesh," Mayawati said. "This makes it clear that the BJP has accepted its defeat in the Uttar Pradesh elections," she said. Mayawati said the press conference, arranged by Shah, which was intended to boost the morale of their party members, showcased that the BJP has accepted defeat. "This conference was arranged in order to encourage and boost the morale of their own party members, because he knows that the BJP will lose in the elections. Apart from this, there was nothing in their press conference," she said, adding that she is very much confident that BSP will lead in all the subsequent phases. The former chief minister further said that the BJP's silence on demonetisation issue has failed to fool the people of Uttar Pradesh. "BJP does not have any reply to BSP's question on demonetisation and corruption issue and it is not succeeding in making fool out of people in the Uttar Pradesh elections," Mayawati said. Signaling a shift in his party's poll narrative, BJP president Amit Shah today said that Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party is the main rival for the party in the ongoing Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. Till now, the BJP had maintained that the Samajwadi Party was their prime rival in the UP assembly polls. The party has been taking on Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav in all the poll rallies. But, BJP president Shah today sought to shift his party's focus and poll strategy to counter the BSP. Amit Shah also claimed that the BJP 'will win 90 seats in the first two phases of elections'. The seven-phase voting in Uttar Pradesh began on February 11 and will conclude on March 8. Votes in the politically crucial state will be declared on March 11. (ANI)